THE THREE KINDS OF BOOK EDITING: HOW TO HIRE THE RIGHT EDITOR SO YOUR BOOK BABY IS IN GREAT HANDS!

You have worked for AGES on your book, and you know that having an excellent editor can polish and perfect your prose...

But let's face it. A crappy editor can make your wonderful words worse, instead of better.

So let’s talk about editing and proofreading, yes? Yes!

Did you know that there are THREE kinds of book editing? It helps to know what stage your book is at, and which type of professional is right for you right now.

From highest-skilled to lowest:

1) Developmental Editing –

The first stage after (or as) you write your draft is Developmental Editing.

As Stephen King said, “When you write a book, you spend day after day scanning and identifying the trees. When you’re done, you have to step back and look at the forest.”

Your developmental editor helps with pacing, character development, name of characters, book itself. Structure.

Ideally, they are a special combination of ruthless and gentle: hacking and slashing as needed, giving you constructive feedback but in a way that makes you feel good.

This is the highest-paid level of editing. Not all editors, and very few proofreaders, do this, and vice versa. It’s a REALLY deep dive and very time consuming.

The author does rewrites while working with their developmental editor. Sometimes this is also called Substantive Editing.

2) Copy Editing, a.k.a. Line Editing -

Line or copy editing focuses on suggestions re: clarity, redundancy, what needs to be added, deleted, moved around, and may include light rewriting.

Line editing includes proofreading (it SHOULD, but be sure to inquire before you hire because some copy editors ignore typos, saying, “I’m not a proofreader”!). A top-notch Copy Editor often works with the author to develop a Style Sheet for consistency of preferences. For example, do they want “Earth” with a capital E? Is “lightworker” one word or two?

***I wear my Superwoman Cape for Line and Copy Editing.***

This is the level for which most authors hire me. My line editing may also include some developmental and will always include proofreading. Before you hire a line or copy editor, ask them if their work also includes developmental or proofreading, or is that a separate fee?

3) Proofreading –

Punctuation. Grammar. Spelling (fixing typos). Proper spacing and indenting.

This is your LAST step in the editing process.

Once you, the author, are done with all rewrites, your manuscript should:

a) go through an excellent line / copy editor who also does proofreading simultaneously (for example, yours truly);

b) get another round of proofreading / editing with your wonderful line editor (waving hand at you!); or

c) get proofread by an excellent proofreader.

Proud Lifelong Grammar Geek and Punctuation Policewoman here!

Most authors hire me for Copy & Line Editing because EVERY - and I mean EVERY - book I have ever worked on needs more than just proofreading.

Funny story:

The first book I was hired to proofread, in 1991, was called The Space Between Us. I was paid $25 an hour, but since I really didn’t know these distinctions between the types of editing and their commensurate values, I was marking ALL SORTS of content editing suggestions and even rewriting sections and moving things around.

I was doing COPY EDITING (and even a bit of developmental).

As well as proofreading.

The publisher got pissed off and mailed the manuscript back to me, saying: “Please don’t make all these extra comments. That’s not what we hired you to do. You are just a proofreader.”

Ouch, right?

But here’s where the story gets really fun.

The very next day the publisher called me and apologized, saying that the author was delighted & thrilled with everything I did. Please, go ahead! Continue editing to my heart’s content.

What I didn’t realize is that would’ve been a great opportunity to ask for a raise!

Please be careful about to whom you entrust your book baby.

I hear horror stories all the time about authors who hired an editor or proofreader and the book went to press with mistakes in it.

Or the "editor" INTRODUCED typos! Horrors!!! This is more common than you would think.

Or they paid someone for line editing and just got proofreading.

For example, I just finished doing a sample edit of a fantasy book, and the author told me that another editor had found only five small things to fix, whereas I made 125 line edit revisions - on the identical six pages of her book. The other editor wasn't really an editor but was a proofreader.

I’ve even seen a published manuscript by one of those “pay me thousands and I’ll publish your book in a compilation” BS “publisher” people. I found three typos ON THE FIRST PAGE. They charged $5,000 to each author to churn out sh*t. Danger, Will Robinson!

I am Ms. Meticulous. No typo is left behind!

Tip for Hiring a GREAT Book Editor:

Ask any editor you are considering hiring to do a sample edit of any 3 to 5 pages of your book. Or they may prefer to do a half hour’s worth of editing. Most proofreaders and copy editors will do this for free, if they have space for new clients.

OR ask to see sample pages of a client's book marked up with their editing.

Developmental editors cannot do a free sample because they are looking at the Big Picture, investing hours of time to see where every piece of your book fits into every other piece. They generally do a pre-read then read and edit on their second go-through.

Once I see your sample, I will provide accurate pricing with a detailed customized proposal based whether your book needs developmental only (highest level, earliest stages) or proofreading only (last stage after book has been through multiple rounds of editing), or line and copy editing.

For MOST books, copy and line editing is the right level, especially if your editor can simultaneously weave in developmental and proofreading as they carefully line edit, or if your book has already been through many edits.

Would you like to explore receiving support for your Book, Brand or Business?

I am now accepting clients for December, and for Q1 in 2022 for:

* BOOK EDITING

* COPYWRITING

(websites, launches, emails…)

Even if your book, website or launch aren’t ready for my magic YET, we can meet in the next few weeks to iron out details so you can reserve a space if we choose to work together.

Many really high-quality line editors have waiting lists of 3 to 6 months or more. If you've been shopping for an editor, you know this by now. But I have good news for you!

Currently, you can get the highest quality of editing without having to wait in a long line - woohoo! Because I just launched my website, just built this Linked In, and just put my flag in the ground to tell the world that I do this.

I've been doing editing and proofreading for decades, mostly for my life and business coaching clients, friends and family. I was inspired by the Great Covid-19 Life Reset Button to launch Sage for Your Page as a separate business in its own right, so now is a great time to hire me! (Rates are reasonable for the quality of editing, with fast turnarounds.)

The first step is to either get on a FREE CONSULTATION CALL or ASK ME TO DO A SAMPLE EDIT FOR YOU (free).

If you have a sample edit you’d like me to do, please email your sample in Microsoft Word to:

[email protected].

Put "Sample Edit, Please" in the subject line.

I am working through these in the order in which they land in my inbox.

I will reply with the edits in Word, showing Track Changes, within a few days. You will get an excellent sense of my approach and my energy, and the kind of care I bring to your important words in the world.

Do you have questions? Want to hop on a call?

**** Go HERE (or message me) to book your free consultation call. ****

There are a limited number of spaces so please SEND ME A MESSAGE or go ahead and grab your spot on my calendar at my scheduler here.

I promise to take excellent care of your Book Baby, and I will prove this to you with the sample edit.

Not sure if you're ready to hire an editor? And if so, not sure which level of editing you and your book may need at this stage? No worries. Just send me a sample (at least a chapter, for feedback) and I will honestly let you know whether it's time for an editor's magic touch and which level(s) of editing are appropriate.

Oftentimes, authors think they should revise their book one more time before they send it to a pro, but actually what they need is a developmental/structural/content edit because that will tremendously help guide the revision so the book has better pacing, clarity, just the right amount of description... If you just want feedback, not a sample edit, just say "feedback, please" in the subject line. There's no charge for this. I'm happy to help.

I specialize in non-fiction (personal growth, psychology, business, spirituality, popular science, health, education, autobiographies and anthologies), sci-fi, fantasy, young adult, poetry. I don't edit or ghostwrite for highly technical books, and I don't read horror. Love and Light gal here but I have degrees in mathematics and engineering, as well as teaching, journalism, hypnotherapy, Reiki, and interfaith minister.

So let's get your wonderful story and message out to the world in the very best form, because you and your book deserve this.

Bright Blessings from The Sage for Your Page

WWW.SAGEFORYOURPAGE.COM